Brain Lennox :Echo Interview 6th April 2002
Evening Echo Interview with Brian Lennox
by Mark Woods
New Cork City FC owner, Brian Lennox, is unlikely to forget the date he took over the reins of Munster's only eircom League Premier Division club.
That was last Monday, April 1, Fool's Day and as the cynics might say, a wholly appropriate occasion for anyone mad enough to invest in a league which has been dragged through the mud over silly bureaucratic wrangling all season.
But let no one be in any doubt about Lennox's motives in carrying on steering a club which not so long ago was on the verge of disappearing from the landscape entirely.
He's a Corkman through and through, listing as a hobby anything involving the history of Ireland's second city,
Like many people, such as St Pat's high-profile manager Pat Dolan, Lennox finds it hard to explain the sight of Corkonians wearing Manchester United and Liverpool jerseys when they should be proud to wear the Rebel red.
"I was in a pub the other night watching a European game and I just couldn't understand why people were getting themselves into such a bother over a club that's not theirs.
"Cork people should be supporting their own club. That's what I want to see more of in the coming season," he said.
Lennox, however, believes in crawling before walking before eventually running, or in this case sprinting.
Coming to the end of his first week the new owner is concentrating on putting the club into shape off the pitch initially.
"I've had five offers from people wanting to invest in City. I'm more interested in the person than the amount of money, because I have a choice here.
"I can afford to go it alone or I can bring someone on board with me. It'll take about a month before I decide."
What Lennox is certain about is the need for the behind-the-scenes workers to be heard a lot more than has been the case.
Firstly, though, he's establishing a board of officers, the likes of secretary, assistant secretary and treasurer with Lennox in the chair.
Then there's the hard working committees involved in running the club Lotto, PR, marketing, match-day business and all the other related areas.
"I plan to have more lines of communication with these people, weekly meetings before the season and then on a monthly basis once the season's up and running."
Then there's the not-so-small matter of setting up house.
"We're renting an office from the MFA at Turners Cross.
"We're getting ready to put in all the necessary office equipment and shortly we'll have some at the end of a phone welcoming people to Cork City FC."
It mightn't seem much, but for all those attempting to contact City over the years it's a massive step.
But Lennox is only too well aware that what happens on the pitch is the most important element in the entire jigsaw.
He doesn't shirk from admitting crowds at the Cross have been falling in the past two or three seasons.
"Cork people demand a winning team. That's for starters and sometimes 1-0 victories aren't enough either.
"I think there have been too many upheavals regarding the manager's position over the past couple of seasons which haven't helped. "And we all know we need new players in certain positions especially experienced ones to blend with the younger guys."
For the moment Lennox is prepared to sit under the spotlight. He doesn't like being the centre of attention and he can't wait for the main business to begin.
Then, he'll be at his most comfortable, allowing the players do his talking for him.
Re: Brain Lennox :Echo Interview 6th April 2002
Quote:
Originally posted by James
Like many people, such as St Pat's high-profile manager Pat Dolan, Lennox finds it hard to explain the sight of Corkonians wearing Manchester United and Liverpool jerseys when they should be proud to wear the Rebel red.
I too have been confused by that strange phenomonen for a long time.
